Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Where is the God who promised to protect the heirs of Anton? Marina Shubina believes God has abandoned her. She's widowed and pregnant-and Hitler's Third Reich has just invaded Russia. As a partisan, she's ready to give her life for the Motherland, but what will become of her unborn child? OSS agent Edward Neumann has one chance to redeem his mistakes in Berlin. . .destroy the German supply lines into Moscow. Unfortunately his mission depends on a Russian partisan, a sharp-shooter named Marina. But does God have a bigger plan for him? And will this plan cost him the woman he loves?

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

22 people are currently reading
317 people want to read

About the author

Susan K. Downs

29 books21 followers
SUSAN K. DOWNS resides in Canton, Ohio, where her husband serves as a district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene. This mother of five and grandmother of one traded her career as an international adoption program coordinator for one as a writer and editor, but she still loves to visit Russia. . .if only by way of her imagination.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
148 (43%)
4 stars
119 (34%)
3 stars
58 (16%)
2 stars
13 (3%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Wendy Sparkes.
Author 3 books24 followers
November 9, 2015
#3 Heirs of Anton

The story opens in Pskov 1941, with WWII raging.

Oh, the realities of war are so harsh, but the story telling is very compelling! I got caught up with the partisan groups as they fought against Hitler's invasion...and the traitor in their midst!

The stories of the partisan groups were new to me and it was interesting to see the war fought in Russia and it's surrounding countries.

I'm now looking forward to reading the remaining 2 books in this series, especially as I was again left with an "Oh NO!" moment at the end! (I really hope that isn't going to be the same for Nadia as well!)

The authors have done an unusual thing in a series, starting in the modern day, & gradually going back in time down the generations. My sister read them in the published order, then went back & read them in chronological order. She suggested I would probably like to read them in chronological order, which is why I started with #4 and am going backwards instead of starting with #1! Actually, I think I've enjoyed Marina more for having the background of Oksana in my mind.

Heirs of Anton

#1 Ekaterina (Heirs of Anton, #1) by Susan K. Downs #2 Nadia (Heirs of Anton, #2) by Susan K. Downs #3 Marina (Heirs of Anton, #3) by Susan K. Downs #4 Oksana (Heirs of Anton, #4) by Susan K. Downs
Profile Image for Nadine Keels.
Author 46 books246 followers
March 15, 2024
Because the Heirs of Anton series begins in contemporary times and gradually goes backward in history (which is plenty intriguing but also something I'm not used to), and because historical fiction often has a stronger pull on me than contemporary, I started with Book Two of this ChristFic series, which takes place in the 1970s. My thought was that if I felt like I was missing something after finishing the three historical novels, I'd go back (but ahead in time in the saga) and read Book One last.

Well, folks. I'll be going with that thought, because Book Three riveted me from start to finish and left me so messed up.

So meaningfully, wonderfully messed up.

I liked Book Two well enough, but after being floored by this third novel, I had to go back and reread some related chunks of Book Two. Chunks that now hold so much more significance to me. Now that I remember certain questions that the second book doesn't answer, I want to prolong my own suspense and find out the answers to those questions last. When I get to the first book—where I'm assuming those answers are.

Whew! What a rush this is turning out to be.

Granted, the rush isn't because this story is a "fun" adventure, which of course it isn't. It's a depiction of war, deadly and tragic. (Heads-up: Two brief mentions of harm to a child particularly hurt my heart, though the mentions aren't overly graphic.)

On a different note, it seems that a few of the characters' emotions and intentions sometimes swing from up to down or way from the left to the right or wherever, even if it means swinging in a matter of minutes. I'm sure that's meant to create engaging tension, but for me, it made the characters somewhat hard to make sense of in places. Also, I found quite a bit of repetitive actions and descriptions in the writing, such as the "cupping" of this or that, the "tracing" of faces, and the rather frequent mentions that one or another character's hair is blond and their eyes are blue. In the end, though, that was all minor.

The characters' spiritual reflections and comments felt organic to the story to me, not shoehorned in for the sake of a faith message. And the resounding hope in the beautifully bittersweet ending...

My goodness. Wonderfully messed up, I am.

I reckon a part of me will remain this way until I finish the series.
Profile Image for Sara.
203 reviews23 followers
October 4, 2015
A look at the partisans in Russia during WWII, something I had never read about before. I loved this book, well written and gripping.
Profile Image for Ann's Reading Corner.
211 reviews22 followers
February 11, 2025
4.5 stars
I feel like the further back this series goes, the better it gets! Written about the partisans in Russia during WW2 and those who fought with them. Learned a lot and would love to learn more. Heartbreaking as both Marina and Edward have both lost so much and wonder where God could be. Traitors in the midst getting their closest friends killed and an impossible choice to face . But of love that spans distance and time, even when no longer together. When the unthinkable happens, what will happen to her baby?
Profile Image for Ashley Nikole.
Author 6 books41 followers
December 6, 2018
While I enjoyed parts of this book & certain interactions between Marina & Edward (& Pavel for that matter), it was a bit of a groaner for me to get through--and then the ending happened and destroyed any semblance of enjoyment I had for the story.

Marina's story was rich in history that confused me much of the time (I'm not all that familiar with Russia & Poland's part in WW2), and the writing often felt dry and annoyingly contemporary at times. I greatly dislike it when (in historical fiction--and yes, I realize WW2 is not that far in the past, but it still qualifies as historical fiction in my mind) characters use contemporary phrases or words like "Seriously" "Okay" "Whatever" "Yeah"--it just jolts me right out of the past and right into the present, into a sassy teenager's body. And I'm not one of those history purists where everything has to be 100% accurate--I'm not, honestly--but there are certain things that just mess with my perception of the time period when certain words or phrases get thrown around.

--Some spoilers ahead--
Also, I had some serious confusion surrounding the traitors in the book. So Raina was a Nazi, but then when she said she was married to a Colonel, did she also say that he was working undercover as a Partizan? Maybe I drew that conclusion myself, maybe she said it, I'm not sure, but I totally thought that Colonel What's-His-Name--the guy who was Edward's CO, was an undercover Nazi spy. And then when nothing happened with him at the end of the book, I was kinda just wondering what was going on.

And then comes--THE ENDING--(Major SPOILERS, obvs)
Okay--so what was that about? I get cliffhangers and all that, but was the ending even considered a cliffhanger? Or did Marina just die with Pavel in a barn and Edward took her child to America and that was it? Done deal? No reunion? The way Edward's scene ended off didn't feel like a conclusion to the story, but a "here's to new beginnings, of which I am part! And Marina will be joining me, hopefully sometime soon." happily ever after type of thing, but then Marina was totally...dead. The next book isn't about Marina or Edward, but I assume that's it as far as their story goes--unless it is told by a future generation, later on?

All in all, I enjoyed myself in bits and pieces, but not overall. I found the ending so dang unsatisfying, and after pushing my way through the book, I was one disappointed reader.
But if you don't mind it being a bit more of a historical account with a slower moving plot and some contemporary feeling moments with tragedy left, right and centre, you might enjoy Marina wholeheartedly!
Profile Image for Kelly Bridgewater.
1,206 reviews62 followers
August 1, 2018
Marina is the third novel in the Heir of Anton series by Susan May Warren and Susan Downs. This edition features a World War II time period, which is directly up my alley. The tension moved a lot more quickly than the first two, but there were still plenty of moments where the story stood still. I enjoyed that Warren and Downs made Marina have the skills of a sniper. That is pretty impressive especially for the time period. Again the characters feature the love between Marina and Edward who are Ekaterina's grandparents. She has some pretty impressive ancestors. The romance isn't over the top. In fact, it moves about right for two people in the middle of a death defying time of their life. The ending is like the previous two books: Warren and Downs leaves you hanging, begging to know about Ekaterina's great-grandparents during World War I, and I really can't wait to see how the series end. A nice and quick read filled with action and World War II spy is worth the time.
Profile Image for Dianne Sidebottom.
1,433 reviews15 followers
June 8, 2014
Marina the baby left behind (the parents not knowing she lived) but has been cared for by Yulia. All she has is a photo of her mother n Yulia at the grave site of her father (supposably). This story takes place with Marina a young adult who has been married only a short time n her husband has gone to war. He comes back to her after a short time in a wooden box n she is pregnant. This fires her soul as she feels abandoned not only by her mother, husband but she witnesses Yulia n the village people shot down by the Nazis. Lots of dramas happen with her n other partisans n she gives birth to a daughter, is to weak to travel. Marina has different names in the book to mark how she sees herself, but she gets to read Anton's diary. So the next book is about the daughter Hope.
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,226 reviews48 followers
July 1, 2016
This is the final book in the Heirs of Anton series. Reading these books in the series order was an interesting experience because it tells the family history in reverse generational order. Finally uncovering the last pieces of the puzzle was worth the suspense. There is so much more than the love story, the historical story, the mystery; it is a story of God's faithfulness to, in, and through flawed people. I love a wonderful story of God's redemption that turns ordinary people into extraordinary heroes and heroines.
Profile Image for Barbara.
1,983 reviews
August 5, 2016
This book wasn't bad, in fact parts of it were very gripping, but somehow the writing was very dry in parts for me. I found myself wanting to skim parts of it. Mara and Edward were interesting characters, and learning more about Nazi occupied Russia was fascinating. The resistance movement was courageous, and those who led it were selfless. It was not one of my favorites, but still worth reading.
26 reviews
July 16, 2012
Alright, so maybe this is a realistic story, but holy depressing! Read this book if you're looking for very accurate historical fiction, more focused on the difficulties of the time and place than on an exciting story line.
Profile Image for TheModestMillennial.
489 reviews14 followers
March 8, 2019
A heartbreaking and heartwarming adventure that will challenge you to rise up into the life which God has called you, and find strength in the stories of those who have gone before us, through the unthinkable, to bring us to the place we have today.
Profile Image for Linda R.
486 reviews
January 7, 2025
Review of The Partisan (The Crimson Legacy Book 3)

In this book, the author goes back to 1941 to tell the story of Ekaterina's grandparents.

After the death of her husband at the hands of the German army, Marina Klassen joins a group of Russian partisans in the fight for freedom. Edward Neumann, an American OSS agent, is on a mission to sabotage the Nazis' plans. When their paths cross, Edward reluctantly admits he needs Marina's help.

Previously published as Marina and then A Greater Love in The Heirs Of Anton, Susan May Warren has republished this series with new covers as The Crimson Legacy. Book 3 is now The Partisan, the story of Marina and Edward. I saw Edward in a whole new light in this book. The end of their journey together (for now) was heartbreaking.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book. I volunteered to read it and write a review.
Profile Image for Nancy Holte.
514 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2021
"A Greater Love" is another great book in the Heirs on Anton series. Super Spy Edward Neumann is on a mission to stop the Nazis from dominating Russia during WWII. And then he runs into Marina, who, driven by grief over the loss of her husband, has joined the Russian partisans in a fight for freedom. She gets trained as a sharp-shooter and does her job well. But, she thinks she needs to get away from Edward before her heart (or his) gets him into trouble. This book draws you in and doesn't let you breathe until you've read the last word (and maybe not even then.) I recommend it for lovers of historical fiction and suspense. I'm excited to read the conclusion of this series which is really where it all started - with Anton.
34 reviews
June 1, 2021
Man, this book gutted me out!! It was so well written! Set in WWII Russia, Marina, the main character has gone through so much heartache and loss that she has become hard and emotionless to survive. I love this book and it was so hard to read at times as the two authors weave the reader into Marina's pain. Edick is wonderful and also too struggles with his own past that haunts him. BUT OH MY GOSH, I was so freaking sad by the ending!! I won't spoil anything, but I honestly was really angry. I honestly don't know what the authors were thinking-after all Marina and Edick had gone through in their lives...for this to happen... That said, all in all, this book will take you through excitement, suspense, pain, heartaches, the turmoil of war, and much more.
Profile Image for Allyson Anthony.
1,151 reviews47 followers
November 12, 2024
This was an interesting read of the partisans fighting when WW2 was going on, and there was a traitor in the midst of them. I enjoyed Marina and Edward's story
and was glad to learn more of their backstories. After enduring losses and struggling with grief, Marina struggles with trusting God. You can feel her pain, anger, and other emotions as she fights the Nazis. This was a fast-paced read with interesting history.
Profile Image for Jessalyn Plant.
398 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2025
More like 3.5.

Again, I can't quite give four stars because the romance is way too cheesy.

However, the action is fabulous and the storyline is really solid. As I am reaching the end of the series and therefore the beginning of the story, it is incredibly satisfying to see the loose ends being woven in.

Lots of big picture themes flowing through the series as well particularly with regards to ideas around adoption, parenthood, faith, etc.
Profile Image for Janet Merrell.
647 reviews7 followers
December 28, 2020
This was not my favorite and a bit of a struggle for me to get through. Marina came off as bitter and I had a hard time connecting with her. I liked Edward but just felt the romance between the two was a bit off putting. I didn't mind the ending and felt it redeemed the book a bit in my eyes.
89 reviews
August 19, 2025
Enjoyed the Heirs of Anton series. I’ve but read many books with the setting in Russia. It’s interesting how books 1-3 go backwards in time.
106 reviews3 followers
June 5, 2015
"Marina", by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs, is the third novel belonging to the Heirs of Anton series. The series covers several generations of a Russian family and their faith in the Lord. "Marina" covers the love story of Marina (Mara) Antonovna Klassen Vasileva, a Russian partisan fighter, and Edward Neumann, an American OSS agent who has been assigned to help rout the Nazi invaders from the USSR during the Second World War.


Both Marina and Edward have had significant losses that have left them wounded in their hearts. Marina is an orphan who lost both her natural parents as a child, and now as an adult, she has also lost her husband and home to the Nazis. She fears that she has also lost her unborn baby. Her faith in the Lord is in shreds, and she renames herself, Mara (meaning, "bitterness"), as Naomi did in the Old Testament Book of Ruth. She joins a partisan group and becomes an excellent sniper.


Edward wrestles with guilt; it appears that every partisan group that he has assisted in the war against the Nazis has found death and destruction, rather than freedom. He is especially guilt ridden over the death of Katrina, his fiancée, who Nazis executed after following him to her location. Edward escaped capture, and Katrina's death has left him reluctant to accept help from partisan groups in the countries that he works in. He is afraid that he will lead them to their deaths. Unlike Marina, Edward still has a faith that clings to the Lord.


Marina and Edward meet when he comes into contact with her partisan group. He plans to blow up a bridge on a Nazi supply route, but quickly comes to realize that he cannot carry out his mission without the help of the partisans. The time spent in each other's company leads Marina and Edward to fall in love with each other as they learn to trust and rely on each other for support. Will Marina regain her faith in the Lord with Edward's help? Will Edward be able to let go of his guilt so that he can open his heart to love again?


Psalm 100:5 is a significant verse in the Heirs of Anton. It says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." We can partially see how the truth of this is carried out in this installment of this series, although we do not see the completion of what the Lord will do for this family in "Marina". Our protagonists must trust and wait on the Lord for the future. They are also required to make very difficult and costly sacrifices. I want to say this: I think that the character of Edward Neumann is truly a saint. In my opinion, "Marina" gets pretty close to being a romantic tragedy.


I also have a minor quibble about the cover for the Kindle Edition. Marina is supposed to be a blonde, but the woman on the cover looks like a brunette to me.


I would not consider "Marina" to be a stand alone novel. I think that "Ekaterina", the first book of the series, has a stronger link in the continuity with "Marina" than "Nadia", which is the second book. Several questions raised in "Ekaterina" are answered in "Marina", but if you read only "Marina", you will be left with questions that can only be answered in "Ekaterina". Having said that, there are still other questions that haven't been answered in any of the books offered so far in the continuity. Hopefully, these will be addressed in the final book, "Oksana".


This review also appears on my blog:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca
Profile Image for Olivia Noack.
466 reviews31 followers
December 18, 2015
This book took me by surprise. I had already read the first two, and then I took a bit of a break before reading this one. I really did enjoy the first two books but I needed a break from reading. When I started this book, it sucked me in right away, unlike the first two books. I started this one afternoon, and finished it the day later. The plot was just so unlike Ekaterina and Nadia, and I loved in on a whole different level. The characters Marina and Edward had an amazing connection that the characters in the first two books didn't have. I would have liked to rate this with five stars, but the authors made that not possible. This was by far my favorite book in this series, but they totally screwed up the ending. If the ending isn't good, then I don't understand what the beginning three hundred pages are for. It all is supposed to lead up to something amazing. The characters have to be happy, but the authors took that away. I don't know what else to say about how much the ending was screwed up without giving anything away. The morning after I finished the book, all I felt was anger. I couldn't be happy, because the characters weren't happy.
Author 1 book69 followers
January 8, 2015
The Book
"Marina", the third novel in the "Heirs of Anton" series. The collections of books is about four generations of women and their adventures in Russia. This book is in the middle of World War II.

My Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. War seems to bring out the worst and best in people. We see that in the pages of "Marina."
Susan painted a picture and the background was very dark and mysterious. Edward didn't know who to trust including his own emotions.
I didn't see the twist at the end and was very surprised. In fact I didn't see many of the twists in this story and that made it much better. I had to keep reading in order to see what happened next.
"Marina" brought out emotions, both good and bad, that kept me clued to the pages.
If you like war time stories then this book is for you. It's filled full of romance, mystery and suspense. I grew to love the characters.
Profile Image for Aimee.
57 reviews1 follower
February 7, 2008
The writing in this book was a little bad, but it was one of my favorites in the series. Guess what, I know you love adoption, but this story had way to much of that going on. Loved for the russian, and strong christian values.
Profile Image for Amanda.
89 reviews
August 28, 2016
I really enjoyed the story. The poor editing detracted some from my ability to read this well. I sometimes had to stop and really think about what the word was supposed to be.

Other than the editing, a very good and gripping story. I was not expecting the ending.
39 reviews
July 27, 2011
After I was almost finished with this book, I discovered that I'm reading them backwards. I decided to just keep going, but I was a little ticked off at my stupidity.
Profile Image for Denise.
145 reviews
April 11, 2013
A series I wish I owned.

Years after reading these books, they still stick with me.
1,347 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2014
Book 3 of 4
*Powerful series! Love Susan May Warren!
Profile Image for Becky.
639 reviews26 followers
December 30, 2015
A little depressing for my tastes. Understandable, considering the period - WW2, Eastern Europe/ Russia. So much death and drama. Very realistic and bittersweet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.